Electro-hydraulic power assisted steering assembly of a vehicle and method of assembling the same

Abstract

An electro-hydraulic power assisted steering assembly for a vehicle is disclosed. The assembly includes a steering gear unit which in turn has a valve housing. The valve housing includes a first projection defined with a first internal threaded bore. There is an electric motor housing which in turn comprises a second projection defined with a second internal threaded bore. There is a lock nut having a first external threaded section and a support nut having a second external threaded section. The second external threaded section of the support nut is configured to be engaged with the second internal threaded bore of the second projection and the first external threaded section of the lock nut is configured to be engaged with the first internal threaded bore to couple the electric motor housing with the steering gear unit.

1 . An electro-hydraulic power assisted steering assembly of a vehicle, the assembly comprising:
 a steering gear unit comprising a valve housing, wherein the valve housing comprises a first projection and the first projection is defined with a first internal threaded bore;   an electric motor housing comprising a second projection and the second projection is defined with a second internal threaded bore;   a lock nut comprising a first external threaded section corresponding to the first internal threaded bore of the first projection of the valve housing; and   a support nut comprising a second external threaded section corresponding to the second internal threaded bore of the second projection of the electric motor housing,   wherein, the second external threaded section of the support nut is configured to be engaged with the second internal threaded bore and the first external threaded section of the lock nut is configured to be engaged with the first internal threaded bore to couple the electric motor housing with the steering gear unit.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first projection and the second projection extend along a longitudinal axis of the steering gear unit and the electric motor housing respectively. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the support nut is configured to be torqued against the second projection of the electric motor housing to engage the second external threaded section and the second internal threaded bore. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the support nut is configured to support the lock nut on the second projection of the electric motor housing. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the lock nut is configured to be torqued against the first projection of the valve housing to engage the first external threaded section and the first internal threaded bore. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein a circumferential surface of the lock nut is configured to abut against a first circumferential surface of the support nut and a second circumferential surface of the support nut is configured to abut against a circumferential surface of the first projection of the valve housing. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the electric motor housing is oriented in a range of 0° to 360° with respect to the steering gear unit. 
     
     
         8 . A steering system of the vehicle comprising the electro-hydraulic power assisted steering assembly as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         9 . A vehicle comprising the steering system as claimed in  claim 8 . 
     
     
         10 . A method of assembling the electro-hydraulic power assisted steering assembly according to  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 positioning the lock nut on the second projection of the electric motor housing;   engaging the second external threaded section of the support nut with the second internal threaded bore of the second projection of the electric motor housing to abut a first circumferential surface of the support nut against a circumferential surface of the second projection of the electric motor housing;   aligning the electric motor housing with the valve housing and fixing orientation of the electric motor housing with respect to the steering gear unit;   engaging the first external threaded section of the lock nut with the first internal threaded bore of the first projection of the steering gear unit; and   torquing the lock nut against the valve housing such that the circumferential surface of the lock nut is configured to abut against the first circumferential surface of the support nut.